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by FrenchKey



Series: Witchertober 2020 [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff, Geralt and Eskel growing up, M/M, Podfic Available, Slice of Life, and being soft for each other, but not explicitly, references to future Geralt/Jaskier, references to the sacking of Kaer Mohren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27032104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenchKey/pseuds/FrenchKey
Summary: Kaer Mohren has always been home for Geralt, just as long as Eskel is there too.
Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Series: Witchertober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972876
Comments: 14
Kudos: 55





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Day 1 - Kaer Mohren of the Witchertober prompts by Rebelliousnobody on Tumblr. It sort of fell into my head fully formed and the writing was ably cheered by Jay. I will be trying to write all the prompts, but they will almost certainly not all be done in October.

**Age 5 ½**

The wind howled down the hallway and Geralt curled up tighter under his sheets. He pressed his hands against his ears and tried not to listen. It didn’t work. The wind still sounded like the terrifying wolves that used to circle their cottage in the winter. His mother’s wards had kept them at a distance, but hadn’t prevented him seeing and hearing them. He shivered and shook and told himself it was just the cold.

Something touched his shoulder and he yelped. 

‘Shush, it’s just me,’ Eskel’s voice said from outside the blanket. ‘Shift over, it’s cold.’

Geralt uncurled himself slowly, blood flowing sluggishly back into his limbs. As soon as he’d made enough space, Eskel climbed up onto the bed, dragging his own blanket with him. He threw it over both of them and curled up against Geralt’s back.

‘Go to sleep,’ he muttered.

Geralt slept.

**Age 12**

His eyes burned. The light from the candle stabbed through his eyelids and into his head. He tried to reach up, tried to cover them to keep the light out, but he couldn’t move. He was secured to the bench with thick leather straps. He screamed and as he did so, he knew it wasn’t the first time.

‘Geralt! Geralt! Stop. Stop. It’s alright. I’m here. You’re alive. Just breathe.’

Eskel.

If Eskel was there, then everything would be ok. He stopped screaming and took a deep breath. His throat hurt. Everything hurt. He moaned quietly.

‘I know,’ Eskel said. ‘I was the same. Here. I’ll blow out a candle or two.’

The light became less intense. It was still bright, but he no longer felt like his head was going to explode. From somewhere deep inside, he managed to dredge up a smile. A warm hand slipped into his.

‘Rest now. I’ve got you.’

Geralt rested.

**Age 18**

He clung to Eskel’s hand beneath the blankets. If he held on hard enough, maybe the outside world would just stop for a while. Maybe they wouldn’t have to face the Trial of the Mountain and Old Speartip tomorrow. Maybe he and Eskel would wake up, safe and sound on some farm somewhere, where their biggest concern was whether or not the hens would lay. 

He snorted to himself. And maybe Vesemir would turn into a fluffy bunny and hop around the keep doing handstands. Pawstands? Geralt giggled a little. Eskel rolled over and raised an eyebrow.

‘You doing ok there, Wolf?’ he asked.

‘Hmm,’ Geralt replied, unable to put words to the feelings in his chest, even for Eskel.

‘Yeah. Me too,’ Eskel agreed.

They clung together for the rest of the night.

**Age 24**

Geralt tossed and turned. It was his first winter in Kaer Morhen since he’d turned twenty and left for the Path. He’d agreed with Eskel that they should stay out for a few years to really prove themselves before venturing back. They’d run into each other in Redania during the first blush of autumn and decided that this was the year. 

So Geralt was home and he couldn’t sleep. Something about it felt wrong. It wasn’t the lack of danger: that was simply a welcome reprieve. It wasn’t the noise of the other Witchers: they were much quieter than any town. It wasn’t even the bed: it hadn’t changed since the last time he’d slept in it. Whatever it was, it was certainly annoying. He rolled over, buried his face in his pillow and groaned.

‘Well, that was dramatic,’ Eskel drawled from the doorway.

‘Fuck off,’ Geralt grumbled.

He sighed as Eskel slipped in beside him, still smelling strongly of horse from the ride up the trail. The two of them curled together and drifted off.

**Age 59**

Geralt padded into Eskel’s room on quiet feet. The other Witcher knew he was there, as he always did, but there was no need to disturb the whole keep. They usually shared Geralt’s bed because he had won the wrestling match for the best view and the nicest mattress when they were still trainees. Tonight, though, Eskel was buried under his own pile of furs, as he had been for the last several nights.

‘Budge up,’ Geralt muttered, shoving his way in beside Eskel.

‘Go ‘way,’ Eskel growled into the pillow.

‘No.’

Eskel drove his elbow backwards. Geralt absorbed the blow to his ribs with a rough grunt and retaliated, throwing himself forward onto Eskel. Suddenly, they were tussling like boys again, furious and fierce, although neither genuinely wanted to hurt the other. Geralt ended up on top, sitting firmly on Eskel’s hips and pinning his arms to the bed. He squirmed and twisted, trying to hide his face.

‘You’re still beautiful, you idiot,’ Geralt said, leaning forward and pressing kisses to the angry red lines scarring his cheek. ‘It wasn’t your fault.’

Eskel looked into his eyes and burst into deep wracking sobs. Geralt rolled so that they were pressed tightly together and pressed his lips to Eskel’s forehead. 

‘I’m here. I’ve got you,’ he murmured.

**Age 68**

The pyres lit the mountainside with their dancing fire. The four living Witchers stood their vigil. Angry tears stung their eyes.

As the flames began to die down and the sky began to lighten, Geralt threw his head back and howled. Next to him, Eskel twined their hands together and raised his own voice. Lambert and Vesemir joined just after. 

Together the pack stood and mourned their lost members.

**Age 81**

Regardless of events on the rest of the Continent, Geralt could always count on his own bed in Kaer Mohren to feel like home, particularly when it was shared with Eskel. It was the one thing that had stayed constant over his life so far. He allowed himself to float in the feeling. Of course, Eskel had to ruin it by going and opening his big mouth.

‘So, when are you going to remove your head from your arse and fuck the bard then?’ he asked.

Geralt rolled over and dragged the pillow over his head. It was childish, but maybe if he pretended he couldn’t hear Eskel, he’d go away?

Eskel pulled the pillow out of his grip and hit him over the head with it.

‘Seriously, Wolf, we all know you want to. What’s stopping you? You know I won’t mind. I never have.’

Geralt grunted, stole the pillow back and shoved it under his head. 

‘It’s different is all,’ he grumbled.

‘Ahhh,’ Eskel sighed, ‘You don’t want to fuck him. You want to make love to him. Maybe under the stars, with a romantic picnic?’

Geralt hit him right in his stupid smug grin with the pillow he’d just rescued.

‘Shut up,’ he grumped, ‘He wouldn’t be just a fuck. I don’t wanna do that to us.’

‘You’re an idiot if you think anyone could come between what we’ve got, Geralt,’ Eskel said, suddenly serious. ‘Don’t let him get away because you’re scared.’

‘I’ll think about it.’

‘I’m serious. Bring him home next winter. I want to meet him.’

‘I said I’ll think about it.’

‘See that you do.’

Geralt rumbled low in his chest and tucked himself under Eskel’s arm. The morning would be soon enough to start thinking. Until then, he was going to curl up with his mate and sleep deeply, the way he only could when he was home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Please leave kudos and/or comments if you liked it <3

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28657035) by [FrenchKey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenchKey/pseuds/FrenchKey)




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